In this groundbreaking course, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames creates an in-depth guide for parishes to love and serve the poor in their communities. Fr. Mark-Mary is a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs) and currently serves the poor in the South Bronx. The CFRs began their unique ministry...

Why should you care about the ministry of serving the poor? In this chapter, Father provides five reasons to encourage you to take on this challenge of better serving those in need.

This chapter introduces a new section of the course focused on the biblical roots of the Church’s vision for serving the poor to convict us of the crucial nature of this call. This is the "warm-up" as we prepare to implement the strategies he will lay out throughout the course.

God has invited men and women to participate in His work in a necessary way, and we are all called to join in this work. The Church’s mission to love and serve the poor is at the heart of her purpose. Unfortunately, loving the poor has too often been incorrectly politicized or polarized. Instead ...

In this chapter, Father poses a critical question: “Are we cooperating with God’s will to truly serve the poor?” 



View the entire Loving and Serving the Poor Series here!

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In this chapter, Fr. Mark Mary explains that an important mission of the Church to be mindful of the poor: It is a biblical calling.

Our salvation is at stake if we do not answer the cry of the poor. This is a harsh truth, but one that should convict each one of us. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and y...

What are the areas of need in our communities in which we can serve? How can we discern what the best choice is for our parish, ourselves, and our families? We can’t do everything, but we can choose a few things and do them well!

In this chapter, Fr. Mark-Mary walks us through the areas of need and how to discern where our parishes can effectively serve. The three categories or “wounds” he focuses on are the Structural Wound, the Material Wound, and the Heart Wound.

Once we understand the poor’s three primary needs, how can we begin to discern where to start? Father answers those questions with stunning simplicity in this chapter.

Father makes note of the family paradigm as an example for how to think of serving the poor. We are brothers and sisters with the same Father. We are one Body in Christ.

In this chapter, Fr. Mark-Mary introduces a new section in which he dives into the practical ways we can begin serving the poor as a parish right away.

Are you regularly including the poor in your prayers? Does that even help? The answer is yes! It all starts with prayer. In this chapter, Father makes the connection to help us keep the poor at the forefront of our prayer.

To model and change the culture in our parishes, our efforts have to begin with our parish staff. In this chapter, Father gives practical examples of using stories in homilies, testimonies from the community, and personal announcements about current programs and opportunities to increase engagement.

In this chapter, Fr. Mark-Mary gives one of the most simple and easy ways to begin serving the poor tomorrow.

Do campaigns actually make a difference? Father Mark-Mary discusses how charity campaigns will actually aid financial gifts in the future if done consistently and authentically.

Finally, Father explores the benefits and impact of foreign mission trips in the overall mission of your parish in service to the poor.

The most challenging aspect of inviting others to serve the poor is the various obstacles that keep people from showing up. Fr. Mark-Mary addresses the five most common obstacles in people’s hearts that explain why they struggle to serve the poor consistently. He then proposes solutions to each t...

Indifference is the first obstacle to overcome, and Fr. Mark-Mary proposes that actual contact with the poor will be the solution to dispelling indifference and fostering compassion.

Time is one of the biggest obstacles we face when trying to serve the poor. Father proposes the idea of “creative time” to create time or make time for those we love.

If fear is the primary obstacle for a person, the solution is similar to the solution for indifference. Exposure in gentle, simple, and easy ways will be the key to casting out fear. In this critical chapter, Father Mark-Mary explores this very real topic.

There are two practical ways to combat judgment, especially of those that we tend to look down upon. Father Mark-Mary discusses them in this chapter.

Are we trying to solve a problem or are we trying to love a person? This will determine our perseverance where there is a lack of fruit.

We do not want to use the poor as a means to an end, but it is important to recognize that there are incredible fruits that come forth as a result of engaging meaningfully in this work.